101 Things To Do This Summer

As much as your kids will tell you they can't wait for summer, the words "I’m bored," inevitably cross their lips – sometimes sooner than you think! While children do enjoy the freedom that comes with the summer months, they still like to have a little structure to their fun.

The following list of activities will help your family take full advantage of summer and help spark your creativity to make the summer all that it should be!  Kids can choose any activity they are interested in and complete them in any order they like (your children will probably enjoy checking them off as they complete them). Some items require parental permission (such as adopting a pet) but others are suitable for kids to complete on their own. Some can even be done with the entire family!

Take a moment to review the list, visit the websites, and see which activities best suit your family. With these 101 things to do, you may just escape the “I’m bored” doldrums this summer!

1
 Make a scrapbook of everything you do this summer
The Basics of Scrapbooking
42explore.com/scrapbk.htm 
 
2
 Have a picnic
Planning a Picnic
www.recipeamerica.com/picnic.htm
 
3
 Write a letter to your best friend
English Works! Writing Letters
depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/writing/letter/writingletters.html 
 
4
 Visit another country
Lonely Planet Destination Guides
www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/ 
 
5
 Go to a ballgame
Major League Baseball Team Schedules
mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/schedule/index.jsp 
 
6
 Get a job (parent permission)
Teens 4 Hire
www.teens4hire.org/
 
7
 Become a photographer
BetterPhoto for Kids and Teens
www.betterphoto.com/photography-for-kids.asp
 
8
 Make dinner for your family
Do-It-Yourself Dinner Party Project (PDF)
www.reynoldskitchens.com/ReynoldsKitchens/KitchenConnection/special/dinner_party/DinnerParty.pdf
 
9
 Compare a book to a movie
Compare and Contrast Essay (PDF) www.csudh.edu/CLASS/services/studyskills/english/webpageworksheets/comparecontrastessay.htm
 
10
 Write a poem
30 Days of Poetry
www.msrogers.com/English2/poetry/30_days_of_poetry.htm
 
11
 Learn about fireworks
How Stuff Works: Fireworks
people.howstuffworks.com/fireworks.htm 
 
12
 Bake some cookies
Science of Cookies
www.bakingandbakingscience.com/cookies.htm
 
13
 Take a boat ride
Boat Safe Kids!
www.boatsafe.com/kids/index.htm
 
14
 Sketch a picture of your house from the outside
Perspective Drawing
www.artyfactory.com/perspective_drawing/perspective_1.htm
 
15
 Go to camp
Virtual Summer Camp
www.homeschoollearning.com/summer/summer.shtml
 
16
 Visit a farm
4-H Virtual Farms
www.ext.vt.edu/resources/4h/virtualfarm/main.html
 
17
 Take a walk and record the sounds
Listening to Nature
www.museumca.org/naturalsounds/
 
18
 Make your own soccer camp
Soccer Drills, Skills, Rules, and Tips
www.soccerhelp.com/
 
19
 Keep a journal of what you do during the Summer
Summer Journal Writing Prompts
www.astoria.fulton.k12.il.us/JuniorHigh/JrHiEnglish/summerhelp/journal%20prompts.html
 
20
 Cut up an old greeting card picture and make a puzzle
(parent help)
How to make your own jigsaw puzzle
tn.essortment.com/howtomakeyour_rgzx.htm 
 
21
 Start a band
Make Music! Start a Band
www.mustcreate.org/kid_home/kids3_1.shtml
 
22
 Make a new kind of sandwich
Who Cooked That Up? – The Sandwich
members.cox.net/jjschnebel/sandwich.html 
 
23
 Blow up balloons, put notes inside and hand them
out to friends
Message in a Balloon
www.nmhct.nhs.uk/pharmacy/nmha-activities.html
 
24
 Go backpacking
The Beginning Backpacker
www.backpacking.net/beginner.html
 
25
 Go outside and find 10 different kinds of flowers
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
www.wildflower2.org/
 
26
 Create a web site
Lissa Explains HTML for Kids
www.lissaexplains.com/
 
27
 Go camping
Go Camping America Kids Pages
www.gocampingamerica.com/kidspages/ 
 
28
 Invent a new dance
Elements of Dance
artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/2338/ 
 
29
 Help an elderly person with house or yard work
(parent permission)
20 Great Reasons to Volunteer
www.volunteermatch.org/volunteers/resources/tipstricks.jsp
 
30
 Visit the zoo
National Zoo Animal Web cams
nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/default.cfm 
 
31
 Learn a foreign language
Free Online Language Courses
www.word2word.com/coursead.html
 
32
 Make an obstacle course in your back yard
How To Set Up An Obstacle Course
www.ehow.com/how_3113_set-obstacle-course.html
 
33
 Make a treasure hunt
The Ultimate Treasure Hunt
www.allthatstuff.net/treasurehunt.htm
 
34
 Read a story to someone
Read Aloud Tips
www.myscschools.com/tracks/parents/readtips.htm
 
35
 Have a winter theme party
Children’s Winter Theme Party Ideas
www.partyshelf.com/Childrens_Winter_Parties.htm
 
36
 Recycle bottles and donate the money to a local charity
The Internet Consumer Recycling Guide
www.obviously.com/recycle/ 
 
37
 Clean up a nature trail
Trail/Campground Maintenance
www.volunteer.gov/gov/resultsZ.cfm?myPosition=trail&myTx=Trail/Campground%20Maintenance
 
38
 Build a tree house
The Tree House Guide
www.thetreehouseguide.com/
 
39
 Create a new world
World Building
teenwriting.about.com/library/weekly/aa071602a.htm 
 
40
 Set up a lemonade stand
Lemonade Stand Game
www.coolmath-games.com/lemonade/
 
41
 Learn or teach a new sport with someone
Sports Illustrated for Kids
www.sikids.com
 
42
 Attend a concert
Instruments of the Orchestra
www.sfskids.org/templates/instorchframe.asp?pageid=3
 
43
 Have a family game night
What Game Should We Play?
www.hasbro.com/familygamenight/pl/page.games/dn/default.cfm
 
44
 Make a movie
Movie-Making for Kids
www.town4kids.com/town4kids/kids/digitalmedia/moviemaking/movie_main.htm
 
45
 Make a collage from magazine words and pictures
Collage
pbskids.org/zoom/activities/do/collage.html 
 
46
 Create a terrarium
How to Make a Terrarium
www.ehow.com/how_9374_make-terrarium.html
 
47
 Go canoeing
US Kayak / Canoe Disciplines
www.usack.org/disciplines/disciplines.asp 
 
48
 Discover a new favorite author or book series
Children’s Literature Web Guide
www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/
 
49
 Go to a museum
Museums on the Web
curry.edschool.virginia.edu/it/projects/Museums/Teacher_Guide/Hotlist
 
50
 Make a fire plan
Home Fire Safety
www.usfa.fema.gov/kids/flash.shtm
 
51
 Make up bubble solution and have a contest
Casey Carle's "Secret" Bubble Solutions
www.bubblemania.com/faq/solution.html
 
52
 Find a pen-pal (parent permission)
Pen Pal Directories
www.stonesoup.com/main2/penpal.html
 
53
 Plant something
Gardens for Beginners
www.geocities.com/mastergardener2k/
 
54
 Visit a tourist spot near your home
Tourist Information Directory
www.touristinformationdirectory.com/
 
55
 Host a yard sale
How to Plan a Yard Sale
www.ehow.com/how_137461_yard-garage-sale.html
 
56
 Build a sandcastle
Sandcastle Tools
www.sandcastlecentral.com/toolpages/
 
57
 Donate some of the toys and clothes you no longer use
How To Donate Toys
www.ehow.com/how_10124_donate-toys-children.html
 
58
 Research your family tree
Family Tree Online
www.familytree-online.com/
 
59
 Fly a kite
Professor Kite and the Secret of Kites
www.gombergkites.com/howgen.html
 
60
 Invent your own board game
Design Your Own Board Game
la.essortment.com/boardgamedesig_rxcu.htm
 
61
 Use a compass or GPS to map your neighborhood
Mapping your Neighborhood
www.dnr.state.md.us/education/growfromhere/LESSON8/LESSON8.HTM
 
62
 Build a time capsule
Making Time Capsules
dlis.dos.state.fl.us/barm/preservation/conservation/time/
 
63
 Act in a play
So You Want to Put On a Play?
www.writewords.org.uk/articles/theatre1.asp
 
64
 Throw a cultural heritage block party
Block Party Basics
www.canadianliving.com/CanadianLiving/client/en/Food/
DetailNewsPrint.asp?idNews=230226
 
65
 Make a bird feeder
Plans for Building Bird Feeders
birding.about.com/od/buildfeeders/
 
66
 Organize a bike safety clinic
Bicycle Safety Command Center
www.state.il.us/kids/isp/bikes/
 
67
 Spend time with your grandparents
10 Great Activities
www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson136.shtml
 
68
 Attend a first aid class
Emergency First Aid Chart (PDF)
www.ihsdesmoines.org/documents/Patient%20Education/emergency_aid_guide.pdf
 
69
 Dig for fossils
Dinosaur Dig
www.sdnhm.org/kids/fossils/
 
70
 Write a song
Notes on Songwriting
www.robinfrederick.com/write.html
 
71
 Tie-dye some t-shirts
How to Tie-Dye
iaia.essortment.com/tiedyedyefa_rmel.htm
 
72
 Take a dog for a walk
Tips for a Better Walk with Your Dog
rubyglen.com/pets/dogwalk.htm
 
73
 Have a paper airplane contest
Paper Airplane Contest Rules
www.frankenmuth.k12.mi.us/fhs/science/PA.html
 
74
 Go without TV for a day
TV Turn off Network
www.tvturnoff.org/
 
75
 Sign up at your local library for their Summer
Reading Program
Summer Reading and Learning
www.ala.org/ala/alsc/alscresources/summerreading/
summerreading.htm
 
76
 Learn some new outdoor games
Games Kids Play
www.gameskidsplay.net/
 
77
 Make something from recyclables
Crafts from Recycled Products
www.makingfriends.com/recycle.htm
 
78
 Share your favorite movie with a friend
Movie Mom
movies.yahoo.com/mv/moviemom/
 
79
 Make home made ice cream
Kitchen Theater Science in a Scoop
www.carnegiemuseums.org/cmag/bk_issue/1996/julaug/dept4.htm
 
80
 Jump on a trampoline
Trampoline Safety Rules
www.outdoorfunstore.com/trampoline-safety.asp
 
81
 Get a magazine subscription (parent permission)
Magazine Listing
www.magsonthenet.com/chilmag.html
 
82
 Organize a scavenger hunt
Outdoor Scavenger Hunts
www.lovetheoutdoors.com/camping/kids/scavengerhunt.htm
 
83
 Go swimming
Video Clips of the Swimming Strokes
wellness.lattc.cc.ca.us/real/strokes.html
 
84
 Paint a portrait of your best friend
Draw Your Friend
www.arts.ufl.edu/art/rt_room/sparkers/friend_portrait/portrait_friend.html
 
85
 Start a collection
How to Start a Collection
www.ehow.com/how_10563_start-collection.html
 
86
 Write a fairy tale
Fractured Fairy Tales and Fables
teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mff/fractured_fairy.htm
 
87
 Travel in time
Odyssey Online
carlos.emory.edu/ODYSSEY/MidElem_Home.html
 
88
 Stargaze and track the moon phases
Astronomy for Kids
www.dustbunny.com/afk/index.html
 
89
 Learn how to sew
Learn to Sew
www.sewing.org/enthusiast/html/e_learntosew.html
 
90
 Visit a National Park
National Park Service Guide
www.nps.gov/parks.html
 
91
 Rent a video of a ballet
Easy to Read Profiles of the Histories of Ballets
classicalmusic.about.com/od/historyofballet/
 
92
 Roast marshmallows
How to Roast a Marshmallow
www.ehow.com/how_1164_roast-marshmallow.html
 
93
 Watch the birds
Tips on Getting Started with Bird Watching
www.birdwatching.com/tips/kids_birding.html
 
94
 Arrange a bouquet of flowers
Virtual Ikebana
web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/ikebana/virtual-ikebana.html
 
95
 Learn to blog (parents permission)
How Blogs Work
https://websitebuilders.com/
 
96
 Re-decorate your room
Decorating Gallery
www.bhg.com/bhg/decoratinggallery/
 
97
 Learn to play chess
Chess is Fun
www.princeton.edu/~jedwards/cif/intro.html
 
98
 Adopt a pet (parent permission)
ASPCA Adoption Tips
www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=adopt_tips
 
99
 Keep your brain going
Brain Teasers
www.brainconnection.com/teasers/
 
100
 Teach someone to use email
How eMail Works
https://websitebuilders.com/how-to/

101
 Create your own holiday
A Month With No Holidays? Make Up Your Own!
www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson018.shtml
 
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